Top 26 Vampire Movies

September 20th, 2012 - David Schwartz

Why do we love vampire movies so much?

Vampires are essentially pale, scary-looking monsters who dress in black and drain the life-force out of anyone who crosses their path. Maybe Hollywood should make a movie about emo lawyers or tax inspectors. Should go down a scream at the box office.

But which vampire film has the most bite? Well, taking into account that Twilight 2 has got teenage girls all around the world frothing at the mouth, we have decided to come up with some real vampire movies worth seeing.

Enjoy!

26. The Night Stalker (1972)

Otherwise known as a ‘Vampire in Vegas’. Yes, Vegas. It’s good, honest.

25. Blood for Dracula (1974)

Dracula finds out it can be a real bitch trying to locate a virgin in Italy.

24. The Hunger (1983)

OK, so old vinegar tits Susan Sarandon is in it, but vampires and sex is a winning combination.

23. Dracula (1931)

A classic.

22. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

Film is good enough for you to forget about how appalling Keanu Reeves is in it. Just about.

21. Vampyros Lesbos (1971)

Yet more lesbians and vampires ? genius.

20. Blacula (1972)

The best film about an African prince who is turned into a vampire after being cursed by Dracula….ever.

A Chinese horror movie that is simply brilliant fun. If you have never seen it, get it out now.

17. Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)

A modern reworking of a classic that surprisingly does not suck.

16. Salem’s Lot (1979)

Creepy as hell film which made you think twice about opening your window to your floating, dead brother.

15. Underworld (2003)

A leather-clad Kate Beckinsale soon makes you forget about the ridiculous plot and script.

14. Cronos (1993)

Guillermo Del Toro shows his class.

13. Black Sunday (1960)

We hate Sundays too. So boring.

12. From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

There are three very good reasons it belongs on this list: Salma Hayek, Salma Hayek and Salma Hayek. Plus it’s a very good excuse to show the clip again.
11. Horror of Dracula (1958)

Christopher Lee‘s finest performance as Dracula.

10. Day Watch (2006)

Slightly superior second chapter of Russian director Timur Bekmambetov‘s unique tale of the battle between good and evil.

9. Brides of Dracula (1960)

Marriage can be a real bitch.

8. Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

Unmissable film about the making of the 1922 vampire classic Nosferatu. Of course, it turns out the main actor in it is actually a vampire. The last time that happened in real life was when Reese Witherspoon appeared in Sweet Home Alabama.

7. Interview With The Vampire (1994)

Even Tom Cruise is good.

6. Nosferatu (1922)

A classic film, upon which every single vampire film must be judged.

5. Blade (1998)

The opening scene alone is worthy of a top five place.

4. Martin (1977)

Admittedly, it sounds more like a movie about an accountant, but it is brilliant….honest!

3. The Lost Boys (1987)

Whatever happened to Corey Haim? So many good lines, but our pick is: “You’re a dirty, rotten vampire Mike. Just wait till I tell mom.”

2. Near Dark (1987)

Almost the entire cast of Aliens makes Near Dark a must-see for any horror movie fan. Simply brilliant.

dude, you put blade before underworld? I realize the challenge here, but underworld deserved much better, IMHO. Snipes was terrible, or “perfect” if that was supposed to be his Keanu role. Thanks for #1, #2 and #4, I will check them out, as well as several others on this list I wasn’t aware of. Lost boys has lost a little of it’s luster with age, but what a great movie, thanks for getting it up so high! (Think I own that soundtrack, it was awesome.) Thanks for your time and effort putting this together, you are def. going to expose me to some more movies, and I thank you in advance.

Nice list! I was scrolling down thinking, “Surely, they’ll put Let The Right One In on this list. It’s way too timely and way too every-blog-on-Earth-must-profess-its-love-for-this-movie-ly for them not to include it.”

But I did not expect it to be #1. I loved the movie too, but #1…ever? Really?

Also, three cheers for the opening scenes of Blade! They’re top notch.

Bram Stokers Dracula should be way higher on this list, and I guess I was the only person who thought Let the Right One In was boring and not even remotely scary… Underworld should be higher than Blade as well, IMHO.

Great list. Love Near Dark! I couldn’t help but notice you didn’t include john Carpenter’s Vampires. It may not be the best vampire ever made but I think it deserves a stop on the list. Maybe in Blackula’s spot. Just a thought….Great list though!

Can anyone tell me the name of what was an American vampire flick from the early 80’s, main setting was in an LA night club(?), climatic battle was in a sewer with the sun streaming through open grates/man-holes?….

MagusRiverMage: I see your “Once Bitten”, and raise you a “Dracula, Dead and Loving It” (Leslie Nielson). Both are memorable portrayals in my mind — neither belonging on this list. Hmph…perhaps a vampire/comedy list should be next?

god damn I agree, wtf who is this child who wrote this list? Blade and Underworld above one of Francis Ford Coppola’s best? its actually one of keanue reeve’s most palatable performances, not to mention the fact that GARY OLDMAN is Dracula… he was born to play that role.

“Bram Stokers Dracula” by Francis Ford Coppola is the worse movie on the list. An absolutely laughing joke. The acting, aside from, Oldman and Tom Waites was hilarious! The worse English accents I’ve ever experienced on screen. I cringed everytime Winona and Keanu spoke. Plus, he [Coppola] wasn’t smart enough to have the stunningly beautiful Monica Belluci in a larger part.

LTROI was a nice surprise to see. Excellent film.

Blade is the fanboys vampire movie and not a good one at that.

Where the fuck was “30 Days of Night”?! One of the absolute best in my opinion.

“Innocent Blood” didn’t make the list, much less the top 5 where it belonged. List FAIL. Come on, classic lines like “Don’t play with the food” and “I’m going to eat…your face…like a chicken” and “You know what you did? You killed my suit.” ARGH!

I know..I know… this is about vampire movies…. but lemme tell ya which movie is the best horror and nightmare provider of the History of cinema: Vincent Minelli’s Wizard of Oz. If you saw that one when u were a kid, u know what I mean. Follow the follow the follow the yellow brick road!!! The witch is back!!!! brrrrr I’ve had nightmares my whole life. SCARY!!!!

ok so I saw that some people are suprised that “Let the right one in” was numer 1 but I wastn’t and many think that it was a boring movie and not scary at all.well let me tell you that it wasn’t exacly suposed to be scary but I guese that few people didn’t see just how good it was.maybe it didn’t have the cool special effects taht most vampire movies have but the it didn’t really lack them ethier and I can say that all the reviews say that it is a brilliant movie and I don’t say diffrent.so the conclution is that people should pay more attention to the movie because it is an exellent movie.oh and yea I don’t look forward to the remake.
good list anyway

great list, especially #1. “let the right one” in is an amazing movie. make sure you watch the one with sub titles- the way eli speaks is creepy in a perfect way. does anyone know of any more movies that remind them of this one?- great acting, tons of depth, not so much that shallow scary that new films strive for- rather, that dark feeling that vampires personify.

I absoluty love The Wisdom of Crocodiles, Jude play’s such a lonely person [Vampire],who in the end decides he can’t do what he does, because he finds himself falling in love with Anne [Elina Lowensohn], so he gives himself up to the thirst that is slowly killing him.